Information Note
Voluntary selectivity scheme in the Celtic Sea, West of 80 W 2014
Selective Gear
Specifications of the top square mesh panel
1. The panel shall be a rectangular section of netting. The netting shall be single twine.
The meshes shall be square meshes, i.e. square-meshed netting shall mean a
construction of netting mounted so that of the two sets of parallel lines formed by the
mesh bars, one set is parallel to, and the other at right angles to, the longitudinal axis
of the net.
2. The square mesh panel shall be made of knotless meshing or non-slip knots.
3. The mesh size shall be equal or more than 120 millimetres. The length of the
panel shall be at least 3 metres except when incorporated into nets towed by
vessels of less than 112 kW, when it shall be of at least 2 metres in length.
Location of the panel
4. The square-meshed panel as referred to in paragraph 1 shall be placed into the
top panel of the net. The rearmost edge of the square-meshed panel, which is
the part closest to the codline, shall be no more than 9 metres from the
codline.
Insertion of the panel into net
5.
In any net in which a square-meshed panel is inserted in an untapered portion of the
net, there shall be at most five open diamond meshes between each panel side and the
adjacent selvedges of the net.
6. In any net in which a square-meshed panel is inserted, wholly or partially, into a
tapered portion of the net there shall be at most five open diamond meshes between
the posterior row of meshes in the square-meshed panel and the adjacent selvedges of
the net.
7. The joining rate between the diamond meshes of the top panel of the codend
and the smallest side of the panel shall be at least two meshes to one square
mesh for 100 millimetre codends.
Conditions

In order to avail of the incentive, vessels that normally fish the area using “Standard
TR1 Gear” (defined as: bottom trawls or seines of single mesh size with a cod end
equal to or larger than 100 millimetres with or without a square mesh panel of
100mm), must use the specified highly selective gear and only that gear for ALL
fishing trips in the area of ICES Divisions VII b-k west of 8°W for the relevant
month.

The ADDITIONAL catch limit may only be fished in ICES Divisions VII b-k west of
8°W using exclusively 120mm Square Mesh Panel highly selective gear according to
the specifications set out above, for the relevant month.

It is not permitted to revert to fishing with standard TR1 Gear in waters of ICES
Divisions VII b-k west of 8°W within the relevant month.

It is permitted to fish with standard TR1 gear in ICES Divisions VII b-k, east of 8°W
during the relevant month.

Under the scheme vessels must be “booked in” and must carry the highly selective
100mm/120mm SMP gear onboard at all times while fishing in ICES Area VII b-k.

Vessels must book in with the SFPA before the beginning of the Month for which it is
intended to avail of the scheme, using the following E-mail address
selgearbooking@sfpa.ie

Vessels booked in to avail of the incentive must have the specified gear on board at
the time of booking and available for inspection.

Fishing Vessels availing of the incentive must lash and stow Standard TR1 gear when
in waters of ICES Divisions VII b-k west of 8°W.
Area of implementing Selectivity Measures
ICES Divisions VII b-k west of 8°W.